The Reason For Me
by J. Maria
Summary: There is always something that's held back from you, and Dawn is struggling to figure out what to do with the time that is given to her.


Title: The Reason For Me

Part: Prologue/ ??

Author: Jmaria

Rating: anywhere from PG-13 to R, depends on potty mouthed characters

Part Summary: There's always a catch

A/N: Not really a songfic, but I really like the song The Reason by Hoobastank, and even though this is kind of a darker fic (can I even write happy-go-lucky anymore?) the title fits. That and the fact that the plot mongoose popped into my head when I was listening to this song. Sad, silly little Edgar's been hounding me again.

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The Reason For Me

Prologue: In The Rough

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Then

She was a semi-happy senior with two weeks left until graduation. Sure, she was in Italy finishing out her last two years of high school. But hey, her hometown had been sucked under when the Hellmouth had been destroyed. She bounded up the stairs to the apartment she and her older sister owned.

But something brought her to a screeching halt. Something was up. And it was a big Up. The door was open. Buffy never left it open. She could hear something coming from the apartment.

"Well, you're wrong. Check again, because I'm not gonna let it happen." Buffy Summers' voice rang out.

"Well, I'm afraid you haven't a choice in the matter. And neither does she."

Dawn Summers recognized the voice as Rupert Giles. He'd been a Watcher, more specifically, he was the Watcher of the longest living Slayer, her sister. It had to be pretty bad if the new head of the Watcher's Council was here contacting the head Slayer.

"You can't just burst in and tell me my sister is going to die, Giles. Besides, we stopped it before -"

Dawn's heart stopped. She was gonna die? No, Giles must have read something wrong.

"Yes, and that's all well and good, Buffy. But you cannot stop this. The Key's energy was never designed to be contained in a mortal vessel. It is far too powerful, and soon it will kill her."

"Then why hasn't it started before? Why is she still alive?" Buffy demanded.

"I haven't a clue. Perhaps it was the force of the Hellmouth. That brought her precious time. We've found writings of the last time the Key was made flesh."

"It was made flesh before, and I'm now just hearing about it?" Buffy demanded.

"Yes. It lasted for some years before -"

"Then that proves my point, Giles. Dawn's been around for five years already. She's stronger -"

"She has five years, Buffy. Ten years is the maximum it can be contained. She will get weaker, and then she will cease to be."

"No." It was a weak protest, and even Dawn knew that.

"Yes." Dawn could practically hear Giles taking off his glasses to clean. "Should we tell her?"

"No."

Dawn's head snapped up. Oh, hell no. This was insane. They weren't gonna tell her she was gonna die? Her hand was on the door. Her head was low, but she knew she had their attention.

"Dawnie, you're -"

"Dying?" She asked.

"Dawnie -" Buffy reached for her sister, shooting a dark glare at Giles.

"What, it's the truth." She turned her gaze to the older man. "I have five years?"

"Yes." He couldn't lie to her.

"Dawnie - we'll fight this thing. Willow can do -"

"Buffy, I need to talk to Giles - alone."

Buffy was about to protest, except that Giles had already agreed. Anger coursing through her, she grabbed her jacket and stormed out of the apartment. Giles turned to sit, leading Dawn behind him.

"I suspect that -"

"This is a butt-ugly shock? Pretty much." Dawn was silent for a little bit. "I don't want to be here with her, when it happens."

"What?"

"Buffy found Mom. . . I don't want - I've got five years Giles. I want to live them."

"Understandably. We all want you to live for a very long time."  
"No, Giles. I want to live those five years, alone. Away from all of you. That way, it doesn't hurt as much -"

"When you're truly gone?" He finished.

"Yeah." There was an audible silence before he spoke again.

"Where will you go?"

"England."

"To get away from us all, you'll go to England?" He asked, bewildered.

"Far enough away from Buffy, but close enough for when the time comes."

"When do you wish to leave?"

"Soon."

"I - erm, I'll arrange it. Find you some - well. I'll get back to you, tomorrow."

"You can't tell her where I am. Promise?" She asked.

"Yes."

He left before the first tear slid over her cheek. Dawn Summers really had grown up.

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Now

A slim brunette raced down the old rickety steps of her apartment building. He'd have her ass if she was late again. Or at least he threatened that he'd have her ass. Her boss really was a lenient employer. Mr. Bones had taken her under his wing, and had more than once told her he considered her to be like a daughter to him.

Dawn Summers had been working there for nearly two years. After nearly two and a half years spent learning as apprentice in jewelry crafting at various institutes, she had landed the job in Mr. Sampson Bones' store. She was now one of the heads of special projects.

She'd moved thirteen times since Giles told her she was going to die. The first five moves were basically because of Buffy. Her older sister tracked her down the first two times, but Dawn had slipped past her. Finally, Buffy just gave up. Or maybe she just accepted it.

Dawn pushed the door at the bottom of the stairs open and raced out into the brisk morning air. It was going to be a long day, she sighed, wrapping her coat around herself more tightly. She strode briskly past three store fronts before stopping in front of Bones' Gallery. She sighed again as she yanked the door open.

"Hullo, Dawnie. You're early." The dark haired woman smiled up at her.

"Hey Sue. And no, I'm late." She whispered back.

"Uncle Sampson won't say a thing about you, Dawn. He's an old softie -"

"Summers!" The older man barked, as Sue just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She sighed.

"Bark is worse than his bite, Dawnie." Sue smiled.

"Susan Amelia Bones, don't you hold her up!"

"Sorry, Uncle Sampson." Sue called back.

Dawn braced herself as she entered his office. Yup, it was gonna be one hell of a day.

A/N: Ok, what do you think?


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